The author and illustrator Steve Antony was asked to illustrate a picture book version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2019. He tells us here about finding an original copy of John’s version and illustrating Chitty for a new generation.
In late 2018, I was in London after a meeting with my publisher, Hachette Children’s, to discuss a book I was working on. On my way back to Paddington, I took a wrong turn and got a little lost. Then the rain came, so I ducked under a shop awning for cover. I’d somehow stumbled into a narrow street lined with charming old bookshops. One in particular drew me in, its windows brimming with vintage children’s books. After ten minutes browsing under the watchful eye of the manager, I felt obliged to buy something. The first book I picked was purely for its beautiful cover, until I saw it was £150. I carefully slid it back.
Then I noticed a book sticking out slightly from the shelf, as if inviting me to pick it up. I couldn’t believe my eyes – it was an original 1964 volume of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Without hesitation, I bought it and gave it pride of place on my studio desk in my Swindon home.
John Burningham has long been one of my favourite illustrators, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang one of my all-time favourite tales. Burningham’s illustrations are so full of energy, grit, and character. The perfect match for Chitty’s wild spirit.
A week later, something extraordinary happened which blew my mind. I received an email completely out of the blue from my literary agent Elizabeth Roy. Hachette’s Publisher Emma Layfield wanted to know if I would illustrate a new picture book adaptation of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I looked at the original copy on my desk, still in awe, and instantly replied with a resounding yes. What are the chances? It was as if Chitty herself had chosen me.
My task was to reimagine Chitty for a new generation, honouring her legacy but bringing her into the 21st century. I began by creating a Chitty style bible, pulling together all the descriptive details from the original text. I visited the Cotswold’s Motoring and Toy Museum several times to study cars from the 1920s and ’30s, the era that inspired Ian Fleming’s original Chitty. I also researched modern electric vehicles, imagining what Chitty could look like if she were built today. I removed the snaking exhausts and dramatic fishtails and gave her an electric heart. My younger brother, an advanced automotive engineer, helped make it all feel believable.
While I modernised the magical flying car, award-winning author Peter Bently masterfully adapted Ian Fleming’s original text, skillfully transforming it into an engaging and accessible story for younger picture book readers.
As someone who is red-green colourblind, I worked closely with the book’s brilliant designer, Sarah Andrews, for help with the colour palette. The book took around a year to illustrate and there’s a lot people don’t see: the rough sketches, the false starts and the many attempts to capture Chitty soaring over the Eiffel Tower.
To call this a dream job doesn’t quite cover it. It has been an absolute honour to continue the legacy of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Even more special has been becoming friends with the Fleming family.
Steve Antony is a British children’s author and illustrator, who has written and illustrated seventeen picture books and two board books.
Work by Steve Antony and Thomas Gilbert, will feature along with John Burningham’s originals in National Trust Mottisfont’s Exhibition: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: Celebrating 60 years!
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